Two Ventura County Hospitals Plan Expansions

In response to population growth and "greater demand for health care," Simi Valley Hospital and Los Robles Regional Medical Center, both in Thousand Oaks, are planning to expand their facilities, the Los Angeles Times reports. Simi Valley will construct a $35 million patient care wing that will include private rooms 30% to 50% larger than current rooms. Overall, however, the hospital will maintain its current bed count of 168. The construction project will also include "specialized" units for infants and those with "heart and brain ailments." Hospital officials expect construction to begin in July and to finish within two years. Los Robles Hospital will spend $4.5 million to double the size of its intensive care unit. In the long term, the hospital plans to add "dozens" of private rooms in a new patient wing that will contain 120 beds and a cardiovascular department (Surman, Los Angeles Times, 9/26).